How to Aerate Water for Plants

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Like animals, aquatic plants can drown in water if they don't get oxygen. In an established pond, aquatic plants and fish produce enough oxygen for their own needs. However, it is the homeowner's job to be sure the backyard pond contains sufficient dissolved oxygen for newly-installed plants to survive. If you see algae proliferating or plants and fish dying, your pond may need an infusion of air. You can build an aeration system with a compressor, diffusers and a length of self-sinking tubing.

1

Position your compressor cabinet on a level surface near a power outlet. The cabinet contains the compressor system and an air hose. Think of the compressor as the heart of your aeration system, prepared to pump a steady flow of air to diffuse into your pond.

2

Locate the deepest point in your pond. If necessary, use a fish finder for accuracy. Mark the spot by dropping a weight attached to a rope and buoy.

3

Inspect the diffuser box with its hollow, rectangular base. Unscrew and remove the plug on the top of the diffuser box. Put river rocks or gravel into the base through the plug opening, then replace the plug. Screw the air line hose adapter into its place on the side of the diffuser box. Screw a diffuser disc into each of the two pipes that rise on top of the diffuser box. The assembly will have the shape of a camping stove with two burners.

4

Attach one end of the self-sinking tubing securely to an object near the compressor to keep it on land. Unroll the tubing from the compressor area to the water's edge.

5

Put the diffuser box, waterproof PVC glue, rope and tubing in a boat. Row out to the spot marked with a buoy as the deepest section of the pond, unrolling the tubing as you go. The tubing is heavy and will sink of its own weight to the bottom of the pond. When you arrive at the buoy, glue the end of the tubing to the barbed fitting in the diffuser box assembly and allow to dry.

6

Find two holes in the diffuser base. Thread the rope through the holes so that equal amounts of rope extrude on either side. Hold both ends of the rope. Lower the assembly into the water until it settles on the base of the pond. Let go of one end of the rope and pull the rope out of the water with the other end.

7

Plug the loose end of tubing into the air hose in the compressor. Turn on the compressor and operate the aeration system for 15 minutes the first day. Double the operating time each day until it operates continuously.

Things You Will Need

Compressor cabinet

Diffuser station

Self-sinking tubing

Waterproof PVC glue

Sufficient rope to reach to pond bottom and back

Tip

Many different types of aeration systems are on the market. You can find wind-powered systems and solar-powered systems. Some use fountains on top of the pond to aerate instead of pond-bottom diffusers. Select what appeals to you, always keeping in mind the size of your pond.

Warning

You may need to adjust your system elements depending on the depth of your pond. The more water you have to aerate, the more diffuser discs you need and the more powerful a compressor you require. A pond with an irregular shape may require additional diffusers.

About the Author

Living in France and Northern California, Teo Spengler is an attorney, novelist and writer and has published thousands of articles about travel, gardening, business and law. Spengler holds a Master of Arts in creative writing from San Francisco State University and a Juris Doctor from UC Berkeley. She is currently a candidate for a Master of Fine Arts in fiction.